Tues.’s Devo - The Fall of Jerusalem

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar had promised he would come back and destroy Jerusalem. He came back nine years and ten months later to besiege the city. It took them two and a half years to break through the wall and take the city. King Zedekiah and his officials fled through a gate behind the king’s garden and headed towards the Jordan Valley. *** The Babylonian troops captured the king and his officials and pronounced judgment on Zedekiah and made him watch as they killed all his sons. They gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes so the death of his sons would be the last thing he saw. Then he was taken in chains to Babylon. *** They burned Jerusalem and tore down the walls of the city. They took most of the people into exile and left the poorest people to live in Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard had been given orders to find Jeremiah and keep him safe. He found him and offered Jeremiah safety in Babylon or freedom to stay with his people. Jeremiah chose to live with his people in Judah so he was given food and provision and taken to his home and put under the care of Gedaliah, the man appointed by Babylon to govern the people. Jeremiah told Ebed-melech the Ethiopian who had pulled Jeremiah out of the cistern that God said he would be rescued and kept safe. *** That is how God rewards those who trust in him. He prepares a table for them in the presence of their enemies. *** Some of the military who had fled to the countryside came to meet with Gedaliah. These men were Ishmael, Johanna and Jonathan, Serbian, Jezaniah and all of their followers. Gedaliah told them not to fear the rule of the Babylonians, but to serve them and all would go well with them. He would live in Mizpah and meet from time to time with Babylonian ambassadors. He told them to harvest the fruit and store it up. *** When people heard Gedaliah had been put in charge they came back home from places they had fled. They stopped to meet Gedaliah, then went back to harvest the crops. *** Johanan, the brother of Ishmael came and told Gedaliah that his brother, Ishmael had been hired by the king of Ammon to assassinate him. Gedaliah refused to believe him. *** That autumn, Ishmael did come and met with Gedaliah. While they were eating, Ishmael and his ten men jumped up and killed Gedaliah and all the Babylonian soldiers who were suppose to guard him. *** The next day, eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria to worship at the Temple. Ishmael went out to meet them and acted like he was crying and upset. He told them to come and see what had happened to Gedaliah. Instead he killed all of them but ten who offered to give them provisions in exchange for their lives. *** Ishmael gathered Zedekiah’s daughters and all the people that were under Gedaliah’s care to carry them off to the king of Ammon. But, Johanan, Ishmael’s brother heard about what Ishmael had done and took all his men to stop him. He caught up with the captives at Gibson and all the captives shouted for joy when they saw them. They broke free and began to fight with Johanan. Ishmael fled with eight of his men to the land of Ammon. *** All of the people went to Geruth-kimham near Bethlehem with plans to flee to Egypt because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do to them when they heard all their soldiers had been killed along with the governor they had appointed. *** In Timothy, Paul reminds Timothy of his spiritual heritage that was passed down to him and the gifts that were given to him by the laying on of hands. He told Timothy not to be afraid or timid because God had given him a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. He told him never to be ashamed to tell others of the Lord or to be ashamed of Paul and his chains. *** It was God’s plan to call us to live a holy, set apart lives through the grace of Jesus. He broke the power of death and gave us eternal life. *** Paul was in chains because of this message and encouraged Timothy to follow his example of walking in the truth and faith of Christ Jesus. Many had abandoned Paul but some were not ashamed of him. Onesiphorus was one of them. He looked Paul up to show him kindness and to encourage him. *** Lord, may we remember those in need and encourage and love them. Thank you for the lives you have given us. May we live our lives to bring you glory.